You can find here a growing selection of short, non-partisan courses on a variety of topics that are relevant to our system of government. All have been reviewed by a balanced team of experts. Some are divided into sub-sections, in which case you will first see a short menu so you can go to the parts that interest you the most. None should take more than 30 minutes of your time.
Let us know how we did – or what else you would like to see: you can write to us here.
Course 1
Course 2
Democracy is Precious
Why is our Republic, even with its faults, worth protecting and improving? Compare non-democratic and illiberal systems of government with our system.
Course 3
What Should Governments Do For Us?
Get an overview of what most governments typically do, with links to comparative data around the world.
Course 4
Fear & Fear-Mongering
Fear-mongering is used a lot these days. Learn how detect it and how to handle it.
Course 5
Political Trust & Distrust
Who can we trust to make decisions about policy priorities? Is there a trustworthy system for choosing our leaders, policies, and projects?
Course 6
The Presidency
How did the framer's trust and distrust shape their views on the presidency? What does the Constitution say about what presidents must and must not do? How do things work now?
Course 7
Federalism: Why & How
What is federalism? Why and how did the framers invent a federal system? How has American federalism changed over time? What are some pros and cons of American federalism?